Help Marcus in the fight of his life against brain tumour

Vanessa Marsh
Chief Reporter
I started with the NewsMail in 2008 as the editorial secretary while studying a double degree in journalism and business. A year later I landed a job as a journalist and have since covered every round the newsroom has to offer. In 2014 I became the paper’s chief reporter which I juggle with my duties as court reporter – a round I am very passionate about. When I’m not in the newsroom or the court room, you’ll find me travelling, scuba diving or at the drift track.

Marcus Geier, 12, received a concussion at school in December and when doctors ran tests, they discovered something much more sinister than they expected - a tumour growing in the middle of the young boy's brain.

The Canberra Hospital neurosurgeon advised Marcus's parents to "watch and wait" and that his sight would be the first thing to go.

"The neurosurgeon told us they would have to cut through a lot of brain tissue," Marcus' mum Lisa Misson said.

"The risk of disability and death is too significant to consider treatment unless he is already experiencing negative impacts."

Not satisfied that this was the only option, the family went to see world-renowned neurosurgeon Doctor Charlie Teo who agreed to take on Marcus' case and said the tumour should be removed as soon as possible.

"He can remove it with minimal risk," Mrs Misson said.

"His approach is less invasive with the eyebrow incision."

And while the surgery is the best thing for Marcus, his parents Lisa and Glenn and brother Taylor are now desperately trying to raise $70,000 to pay for the surgery - something made much more difficult after their North Bundaberg home was significantly damaged by the January floods, negating the equity they hoped to use to pay for the surgery.

"The house was right in the middle of the exclusion zone," Mrs Misson said.

"A friend suggested we put our cause on the Go Get Funding website and that led to a lot of people coming together."

Marcus' family, with the help of friends and family, launched the fundraising campaign at Easter and the response so far has been overwhelming with $14,000 being donated.

"We probably only know 10-20% of the people who've donated and the others are all strangers," Mrs Misson said.

"What seemed totally impossible is now going to be possible."

The family hopes to raise the money in a few months so Marcus can receive the surgery in early August.

"No one can tell us when the pressure of the brain tumour will cause the damage," Mrs Misson said.